Accelerate Recovery. Reduce Pain. Keep Moving.
Focused Shockwave Therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses acoustic energy to stimulate your body's natural healing response. It can help reduce pain, improve function, and promote tissue healing in chronic injuries that have not responded fully to rest, exercise, or other conservative treatments.
At Boulder Sports Physiotherapy, we use the Storz Medical Duolith®, the gold standard in focused shockwave technology used by leading sports medicine clinics worldwide.
What Conditions Can Shockwave Therapy Help Treat?
Not every injury is appropriate for shockwave therapy. A thorough evaluation is required to determine if it is the right treatment for you.
Shockwave therapy is beneficial for:
Achilles tendinopathy
Plantar fasciitis
Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee)
Hamstring tendinopathy
Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Calcific shoulder tendinopathy
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome (hip bursitis/tendinopathy)
Shin splints and select bone stress injuries
Certain cases of chronic muscle and tendon pain
How Does Shockwave Treatment Work?
The goal is not simply symptom relief. Shockwave is designed to help address the underlying tissue dysfunction contributing to pain.
Focused shockwave delivers high-energy acoustic waves directly to injured tissue. Research finds these waves:
Stimulate blood vessel formation and circulation
Promote tissue regeneration and healing
Reduce pain sensitivity
Break down calcific deposits in tendons
Improve tendon and soft tissue remodeling
What Does Treatment Feel Like?
Most patients describe shockwave therapy as a series of rapid pulses delivered to the injured area. Some mild to moderate discomfort during treatment is normal, particularly in sensitive or chronic injuries.
A typical treatment session lasts only a few minutes, and no anesthesia or downtime is required.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Most patients receive a series of 3 to 6 treatments, depending on the condition and severity of symptoms.
Shockwave therapy is most effective when combined with a personalized rehabilitation program. We integrate shockwave with targeted exercise, manual therapy, education, and load management strategies to maximize results.
Why Choose Boulder Sports Physiotherapy?
At Boulder Sports Physiotherapy, shockwave therapy is never provided as a standalone, one-size-fits-all treatment.
Every session includes assessment, clinical reasoning, and individualized treatment from a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We combine advanced technology with evidence-based rehabilitation to help you return to the activities you love.
Whether you're a runner, cyclist, climber, dancer, or simply want to move without pain, our goal is to help you recover as efficiently as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Focused shockwave therapy is a safe, non-invasive treatment with a low risk of complications when performed by a trained provider.
Most patients experience little more than temporary soreness after treatment. Before recommending shockwave therapy, we'll review your medical history to ensure it's an appropriate and safe option for your condition.
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Yes. Mild soreness after shockwave therapy is common.
Many patients experience temporary pain relief immediately after treatment due to the therapy's analgesic effect. As this wears off, it is normal for the treated area to feel mildly to moderately sore for 24 to 48 hours. This is an expected part of the healing response and typically resolves on its own.
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In most cases, no. Focused shockwave therapy is not covered by insurance, including Medicare, even though there is growing research supporting its use for many musculoskeletal conditions.
At Boulder Sports Physiotherapy, shockwave therapy is offered as an affordable add on to your physical therapy visit, allowing you to access this evidence based treatment without the restrictions often imposed by insurance.
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Yes. In most cases, you can continue your usual exercise routine as long as you are not significantly increasing the intensity, duration, or load beyond what your body is accustomed to. We'll provide individualized recommendations based on your injury and treatment goals.
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Everyone responds differently, but many patients notice some improvement after the first one or two treatments. More commonly, meaningful improvements develop gradually over several weeks as your body heals. Because shockwave stimulates your body's natural healing response, the benefits often continue to build for weeks after your treatment series is complete.
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Focused and radial shockwave therapy are two distinct technologies that deliver energy into the body in different ways. Focused shockwave concentrates energy at a specific depth beneath the skin, allowing it to precisely target injured tissue while minimizing energy delivered to surrounding structures. Radial shockwave delivers pressure waves that spread outward from the applicator, making it most effective for treating more superficial tissues.
While both technologies can be effective, they are designed for different purposes and are supported by different research. Focused shockwave has strong evidence for treating many chronic tendon injuries, calcific shoulder tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and certain bone conditions. Because the depth and energy can be customized, treatment can be tailored to your specific injury and anatomy.
At Boulder Sports Physiotherapy, we chose focused shockwave because it offers greater precision, versatility, and the ability to treat a wider range of musculoskeletal conditions.